The growth incentives associated with teacher salary schedules are defined by education and represent a weak form of competency-based pay. Education includes formal course work, continuing educational units, and/or other approved plans for professional development. Underlying the use of growth incentives to raise the base salary of a teacher is the assumption that additional education increases the teacher's competence on the job. However, "in practice, teachers are often rewarded for taking courses that may have little or nothing to do with the knowledge and skill set needed by the school organization.”